Travel
(English only, for international guests / Seção em inglês para convidados internacionais)
Flying In
For travelers coming from abroad we recommend flying into Galeão International Airport in Rio de Janeiro (GIG). For those arriving from another destination in Brazil, Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) in Rio de Janeiro is another airport with many domestic connections. Another international airpot within driving distance of Paraty is São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo (GRU) in case you do not want to stay in Rio de Janeiro.
Getting Around
RIO De Janeiro
Within Rio you can easily get around with Taxis and Ubers, as well as by a solid subway system. Brazilians also use the App 99Taxi (similar to Lyft in the USA), it is very reliable and works with international credit cards. Don’t hesitate to ask your hotel for help. All official taxis in Rio are yellow colored.
From Rio to Paraty
Group Shuttle: For travel from Rio to Paraty, and back, we plan to organize bus transportation leaving Rio de Janeiro on the morning of Wednesday, July 9 and returning on Sunday, July 13 by 5pm. We will provide more information on the precise time and location closer to the wedding date.
If you would like flexibility on the day of arrival to Paraty, we can recommend a few other options:
Car Rental - If you would like the freedom of travel, you can book your own car rental. There are many car rental companies operating in Brazil. We recommend international brands such as Hertz, Avis, etc. or one of the major Brazilian car rental companies (Localiza or Movida). The most reliable locations for car rentals will be around airports. There are NO car rental offices in Paraty.
Taxi / Uber - I have heard of some people taking taxis and Ubers for long distance drives in Brazil. For taxis you can check with your hotel for recommendations and if they can call a taxi for you.
Private Bus / Van - several bus companies run regular connections from Rio to Paraty. We can recommend Paraty Tours as a reliable company to book transfers from Rio to Paraty (and anywhere on the coast between Rio and Paraty).
Paraty
Town of Paraty itself is very walkable and you will not need transportation to get around if you will stay within or close to the historic town limits. For day trips around Paraty you can either book a taxi or even a boat from your hotel, rely on organized tours for getting to and from destinations, or drive your rental car.
RIO De JAneiro TIPS
Rio de Janeiro is a world famous tourist destination and we would recommend reading one of many online or printed guides on how to make the most of your visit. For your convenience we want to share some travel tips here as well.
Lodging
We recommend staying in the touristic areas of Ipanema and Leblon. There are also many hotels around Copacabana beach (including the famous Copacabana palace)
Things to do
Take a cable car ride or hike the Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar).
Go up to the Christ Redeemer statue in Corcovado (we recommend taking a beautiful mountain train ride - schedule ahead of time).
Enjoy Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Sunset at Pedra do Arpoador.
Take a stroll or a historic streetcar into the hilly St. Teresa neighborhood. Visit Parque das Ruínas.
Check out the old royal botanical gardens.
Maracanã stadium for soccer fans.
Hike Morro Dois Irmãos or Pedra da Gávea (consider hiring a guide for Pedra da Gávea).
Walk up the famous decorated staircase Escadaria Selaron.
Have breakfast/brunch in Parque Lage.
Have lunch or go for a coffee at Forte de Copacabana.
Photography museum with beautiful architecture: Instituto Moreira Salles.
Afternoon tea at the historical Confeitaria Colombo.
Watch samba presentation at Beco do Rato.
If you are feeling adventurous: skydiving from Pedra Bonita.
Things to do around Paraty
We recommend reading through this New York Times article for an introduction to Paraty and its attractions. In addition, below are some of the things we personally recommend while visiting Paraty.
Stroll around downtown Paraty, gaze at the 17th century architecture, and visit some of the local colonial churches such as Igreja Santa Rita and Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito.
Book a free walking tour around the town.
Visit the most beautiful beaches in the area such as Praia do Sono, Praia da Trindade, and many others (30-40 minute drive).
Check out beach bars on Praia do Pontal in the evening and catch live samba and forro music.
Tropical park reserve and farm museum in Fazenda Bananal, as well as an amazing farm-to-table restaurant (one of Adam’s favorites) and stop by Paratiana Cachaça distillery on the way back for a free tour and tasting.
Catch a boat from Paraty (or Paraty-Mirim) to Saco de Mamanguá and hike up the Pão de Açúcar do Mamanguá to view a tropical fjord from the top.
Join group tours hosted by local companies such as Paraty Tours and see things like the historic Caminho do Ouro, trek in the Atlantic Forest jungle, or catch a Jeep tour.
Dining Recommendation In Paraty
Banana da Terra - fantastic, upscale Brazilian kitchen.
Margarida Cafe - great all around food with live music.
Fugu Paraty - amazing sushi spot, we highly recommend trying the torched corn sushi.
Gelateria Miracolo - best ice-cream in Paraty.
Restaurante Pindorama - requires a 10-15 min taxi ride, but the food and views are definitely worth it. Indigenous Brazilian food. Located at Casa Luz hotel.
Restaurante Bartholomeu - recommending some classic Brazilian dishes here like the muqueca and steak.
Fazenda Bananal - Adam’s favorite farm-to-table restaurant.
Gastromar - seafood restaurant headed by chef Gisela Schmitt, featured in the National Geographic show Restaurants at the End of the World.
Example ITINERARies
In this section we want to provide you with some example Brazil itineraries which you can weave together with our wedding events. By no means you need to follow any these to the dot, they are just ideas and jumping off points for your own dream Brazil vacation.
Short itinerary ~ 1 Week
Friday July 4
Fly into Rio De Janeiro (from abroad or other Brazil destinations).
Arrive on evening of July 4th or morning July 5th.
Saturday July 5 - Tuesday July 8th
Join the group event for our international guests in Rio De Janeiro on the evening of July 6th.
Explore Rio and check out the many attractions we have recommended in the Rio Tips section.
Wednesday July 9th
Travel from Rio De Janeiro to Paraty (~3.5 hours) in the morning down the beautiful Atlantic coast highway.
Join the organized group van ride, hire a Taxi/Uber, or rent a car.
Thursday July 10th
Join our group boat tour around Paraty bays and beaches.
Spend the evening at beach-side shacks at Praia do Pontal with live Samba and Forro music.
Friday July 11th
Spend the day discovering Paraty and its surroundings.
Get a boat to Saco de Mamangua and hike up the Pao de Acucar do Mamangua to view a tropical fjord from the top.
Visit the Paratiana cachaca distillery for a tour and tasting.
Park reserve and farm museum in Fazenda Bananal, as well as an amazing farm-to-table restaurant (one of Adam’s favorites)
Enjoy pre-wedding cocktail night in Paraty with Samba music and Brazilian food and drinks.
Saturday July 12th
Free morning to roam Paraty / get ready for the wedding .
Wedding in the afternoon and evening: venue located in downtown Paraty, arrival time: 3:30 pm.
Sunday July 13th
Travel back to Rio or to other destinations in Brazil.
Short local ideas
Visit Ilha Grande on the way back to Rio. It is a rustic, protected island with no car traffic with spectacular beaches, mountains, and hikes. You can get to it by driving or catching a bus to Angra Dos Rios and transferring to a ferry to the island. You can stay there at small hotels or pousadas.
Instead of going back to Rio, keep driving down the coast through more beach resort towns such as Ubatuba (beach suggestions: Lazaro, Domigas Dias, Fortaleza, Felix, Sete Fontes, Itamanbuca, Cedro), and make your way to Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo, the largest city and the business capital of Brazil, is a vast sprawling metropolis in a coffee farm region of Brazil. The city boasts also one of the best dining scenes in the world, as well as dynamic nightlife.
Further destinations
Salvador - the heart and soul of Afro-Brazil culture, the original capital with renovated colonial downtown, super rich music culture and fantastic creole food. If you want to have more beach time, the south of Bahia has amazing options (for example, Trancoso, Itacaré, Maraú, or Caraíva).
Fernando de Noronha - a rocky tropical island paradise off the coast of Brazil entirely encompassed by a national park.
Lençois Maranhenses - a spectacular area of dunes and lakes in Northern Brazil. A slightly more challenging place to reach.
Iguaçu Falls - world famous spectacular waterfalls on the border with Argentina.
Minas Gerais - Tirandentes, Ouro Preto, Mariana, Inhotim (famous Brazilian contemporary art museum. It is one of the largest outdoor art centers in Latin America). Minas Gerais has colonial cobblestone-laid town charms and history from Brazil’s gold mining years with amazing food.
Amazon forest - this place needs no introduction, also known as the lungs of the world. Julia recommends a stay at the hotel Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge if you are willing to pay a bit extra for an upscale lodge, or experience a boat stay while cruising down the Amazon River.
General Travel Advice
Contact
Adam can definitely help with travel coordination the week prior to the wedding as Julia will be more busy with wedding logistics. Best way to reach him while in Brazil is through WhatsApp at +1 225 200 0249.
Visa Information
Americans, Canadians, and Australians will need an e-visa to enter Brazil starting April 10, 2025. Instructions on how to get it can be found here. EU citizens do not need a visa for travel under 60 days. You can check your country’s visa requirement here.
Language
Portuguese is the official language of Brazil and you will find that it is the only spoken language for most. However, you should be able to get by with English in touristic areas.
General Safety
Brazil is a developing country, so unfortunately pickpocketing and robbery exist there, especially in big cities like Rio de Janeiro. However, touristic areas are overall safe as long as you take basic precautions. Julia, for example, has lived in Brazil almost her entire life and never experienced any direct safety issues. Follow these tips and we are sure you will have a pleasant, worry-free experience:
Be mindful of holding out your phone or cash in crowded public spaces. If you need to use your phone for several minutes, enter a store and use it from there
Do not display expensive items on the streets.
Leave your passport at the hotel and carry another form of photo ID with you all the times.
Do not leave your belongings unattended if you are swimming on the beach
Prefer to use cash if buying something with street vendors, but if using your credit card, make sure to double check the amount being charged. Credit cards are perfectly fine and safe to be used at any formal business places such as bars, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and stores.
Climate
Climate in Paraty and Rio de Janeiro is considered tropical, however you will be traveling in winter time so whether is unpredictable. We expect that most days will be mild or warm, between around 20 to mid 20s degree Celsius or mid 70s to low 80s degree Farenheit. However, since you will be traveling in winter time some days might get slightly chilly, below 20 degC (68 degF). Temperatures below 15 Celsius are rare but not impossible. Bring a mix of summer clothes (shorts and t-shirts) as well some long sleeve shirts and pants and sweaters for potential chilly days. It will not be wet season, but be prepared for a chance of rain. We recommend sneakers to walk on cobblestone in Paraty.
Currency
Brazil uses the Real (Reais in plural) (R$). Most restaurants and shops will accept credit cards but it is wise to keep some spare cash for a day. ATMs are widespread in Brazil.
Phone / Internet Service
We recommend either enabling an international plan on your cellular network or purchasing a travel ESIM. More information on those can be found under this link. Adam has used Holafly before but it only started working well after complaining about low bandwidth.
Electrical Outlets
Brazil has two types of outlets, type C and type N. Most places use 120V 60Hz supply. More info can be found here. For Americans, you will need an adapter. For continental Europeans, the 2 prong one can sometimes work.